Very Much The Beginning
by bettertohaveloved
Summary: Drabble of the death of Tonks and Lupin, fighting together until their end, and a new start.


AN: Drabble about Tonks and Lupin's deaths, if the very beginning seems familiar, it is taken from the book, but only as a premise. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, no matter how much I wish I did.

The great walls of Hogwarts gave another horrible tremble. Jets of red and green light flew past Harry, Ron and Hermione at the foot of the castle. The war was beginning. Death Eaters were charging into the castle despite all the defense. The trio looked out at the scene as Grawp stumbled towards the Death Eaters.

"Let's hope he steps on some of them!" said Ron as screams echoed from close by.

"As long as it's not any of our lot!" said Ginny as she and Tonks caught up to Harry Ron and Hermione. They each had a moment of relief to see each other alive, though Tonks had an unmistakable look of fear and anxiety.

"Has anyone seen Remus?" Tonks asked desperately

"He was dueling Dolohov," shouted Aberforth in passing, who was leading a small group of students to safety "haven't seen him since!"

"Tonks," said Ginny, "Tonks, I'm sure he's okay-"

But Tonks had already run off into the dust in search of her husband. _Please be okay. Please, please, please be safe, Remus. _Tonks prayed to herself.

"REMUS!" Tonks called out hoping for an answer.

Nothing.

"_REMUS_!"

Nothing.

"_REMUS!"_

Still, nothing.

Tonks ran through the courtyard, yelling for her husband, her love, and the father of their beautiful child, mindlessly blocking and dodging spells cast in her direction. Her heart was throwing itself against her ribs, her brain a blur.

"Dora!" Tonks heard the call from behind, the voice beautifully familiar. It was him. Remus was alive. He was okay. Tonks ran to her husband and threw her arms around his neck, knocking them both over.

"Sorry!" Tonks apologized, still holding on to her husband, "I was just so worried! I thought- I didn't know if- but you're okay!"

"Until you knocked us down." Remus said with a laugh, kissing his wife on the forehead, "and as long as you're alright, I am too. Come over here, Dora." Remus stood up quickly, and brought Tonks to her feet. They ran into a corner together, temporarily free from the battle.

"Dora, look- I just- in case anything should- I love you. I love you more than anyone could love anything or anyone else in the entire world. Having a family with you was the best decision I ever made, I only wish I did so sooner. You and Teddy- you make my life worth living, and no matter what happens, you need to remember that. Promise me you'll remember that."

"Remus, I-"

"Promise me."

"I promise." Said Tonks with tears in her eyes, "I love you too, Remus. So much. You mean the world to me, you really do." She rested her hand on her husbands face, "We'll be okay, though. We're together." He smiled at her optimistic words, and kissed her softly on the lips.

The castle gave another tremble, rudely awakening the couple from their own little world.

"Ready?" Remus asked his wife. She pulled her husband in for another, more passionate kiss, and squeezed his hand.  
>"I am now."<p>

The Lupins charged back into the battle, casting and dodging spells, attacking and protecting, never straying too far from each other. Their opponents and allies came and went and in the confusion of the battle it was difficult to say who was winning. The couple fought valiantly, each fighting off an opponent; Remus fighting Avery Tonks fighting Bellatrix Lestrange. Like hyenas, the dark wizards circled around Remus and Tonks, closing in. Spells were cast, flying everywhere.  
>Remus hit Avery square in the chest, who flew back, crashed against the wall behind him and slumped to the ground without further movement. A second later, a spell from behind hit the wand from Remus' hand and cast him onto the ground. Dolohov, whom Remus had been fighting earlier approached the unarmed wizard with a twisted smile on his face.<p>

"You ain't gettin' away from me this time, werewolf."  
>"NO!" Tonks cried, trying to run for her husband, but Bellatrix quickly cast a spell between them so that it was as if Tonks was trying to get through an invisible wall. Remus faced his wife,<br>"Dora!- Our promise!"

"_AVADA KADAVRA!"_

"NO!" screamed Tonks. Bellatrix broke the barrier between them, laughing hysterically as Tonks rushed over to Remus's body. "Remus!" His face was calm enough to be sleeping, but his chest no longer rose and fell with breath. "Remus, get up!" Tonks pleaded "Get up! Please!" But he could not hear her, "Please, Remus! We have to get Teddy! Please!"

"Oh, come now," began Dolohov with mocking sympathy and making his way toward Tonks, "He was just a-"

"_AVADA KADAVRA!"_

And just like that, Dolohov fell to the ground, lifeless as the man he had just murdered. But Tonks felt no satisfaction in killing him. She knew Dolohov's death didn't mean Remus's life, and she remained holding her husbands body, as if she could put some of her wellness inside of him.

"HOW _DARE_ YOU!" screeched Bellatrix, "Kill a wizard over a _werewolf!" _Tonks looked up to face her aunt, her expression hardened and her body crouched around her husbands as if to protect him from any further harm. Bellatrix paused and gave a little smile, "If anything, you should have _thanked_ him for ridding you of that horrible, filthy half-breed. I know you were never really a _catch_, Nymphadora, but surely even you could do better than some awful, flea-ridden monster. Though, I'm actually rather impressed you could cast the curse at all. Little _Nymphadora,_ a _murderer_!" Bellatrix yelled out with a laugh. Tonks held tight onto Remus's hand, which didn't hold hers back, and glared at her aunt  
>"You know", continued Bellatrix, "The Dark Lord may have room for you yet. You've clearly thrown your ethics away to kill someone for revenge, I can't imagine anyone else cares very much if you stay, and you certainly don't have that filthy, werewolf 'husband' to hold you back any longer-"<p>

"_AVADA KEDAVERA!" _Tonks yelled again, though the spell just missed

"Watch it! You almost killed me!" Bellatrix said, drawing out her wand, "Though I admire your eagerness! Was this all because I called your mangy husband a filthy half-breed?"

Tonks quickly brought herself to her feet and cast again. Bellatrix, again, dodged it.

"I'm warning you, Nymphadora! Unless you want to end up like your poor, pathetic husband I-" Bellatrix dodged the curse again, missing it by an inch,

"_Have it your way then."_ Bellatrix hissed, and retaliated with the same curse. Tonks dodged and blocked and fought back with more ferocity than she ever had in her entire life. _Remus would be proud,_ she thought. Bellatrix was cornered. Just as Tonks was to raise her wand to end the fight, she was thrown backwards by another wizards curse, landing next to her husbands' body, her wand just out of reach. Travers, another Death Eater appeared before her, his lip curled into a terrible grin. In a moment, Bellatrix rushed over pushing him out of the way.  
>"No, Travers! She's mine." Bellatrix said looking positively feral, then she turned to her niece, who instinctively put herself over Remus as if he could be harmed. Bellatrix smiled sickeningly at Tonks,<p>

"Don't worry, dearie, you'll be with him soon enough-"

"_I love you."_ Tonks whispered one last time to her husband, and grabbed his lifeless hand

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

A flash of green, then everything became white.

There was no noise.

There was no pain. There was no blood, or screams, or tears. She wasn't tired and she wasn't hurt. Tonks opened her eyes, knowing she was safe, that nothing could ever harm her again. But still something was missing.

"I love you too."

Tonks turned around to see her husband standing behind her. He was younger looking, without any wrinkles or scars on his face. He held out his hand to her, but she hesitated.

"Remus… are you..?"

"Quite real, yes. I am so proud of you, Dora."

"But I-"

"You fought wonderfully." Said, not Remus, but Sirius Black, who appeared behind him, "We're all proud of you." Sirius, along with Mad-Eye Moody, stood behind Remus all looking healthier and younger than they had in a very long time. Tonks rushed over to Sirius and threw her arms around him

"I've missed you so much." she said

"And I, you." Said Sirius, "My little _Nymphadora._"

"Suddenly, I don't miss _you_ quite as much." Tonks said viciously, though they all laughed, "And Mad-Eye!"

"Don't you go trying any of that hugging rubbish on me- oof!" Mad-Eye was cut off by Tonks ignoring him and throwing her arms around him. Despite himself, Mad-Eye hugged her back, "You were great. Truly, very impressive." Tonks beamed up at her loved lost ones, now found.  
>"So… what happens now?" she asked, taking her husbands hand, delighted that it held hers back<br>"We move on." Said Remus. In all the thrill of seeing her old friends again, Tonks had momentarily forgotten something.

"Remus- what about Teddy?" she asked. Her husband's face saddened, and pulled his wife closer to him,  
>"I'm afraid we're just going to have to trust Harry. He will tell him what we fought and died for." Tonks wiped a tear from her face<br>"We… we can still watch over him, right? We can still be there for him?" she asked  
>"Yes. But only from afar. He'll be alright. He'll be wonderful. We will still be there to guide him. This is hardly the end, Dora," Remus said. He took his wife's hand, and with their friends beside them, they walked on,<p>

"If anything, this is very much the beginning."


End file.
